


the demon's in the details

by MiniNephthys



Category: Witch's Heart (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Light-Hearted, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 13:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14853321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: Noel remembers a detail; Ashe is disappointed.





	the demon's in the details

**Author's Note:**

> Russian translation available: https://ficbook.net/readfic/7369642/18777862

Noel’s heard that the definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and expecting different results. He can’t say they’re wrong: he must have gone insane long ago, sometime after taking that first step into hell.

He would like not to repeat the events of a loop, but his memory of previous loops is foggy: it’s difficult to determine exactly what actions he’s taken before and which he hasn’t. If he could remember perfectly, this story would have found a happy ending a long time ago.

When a detail does emerge in full clarity, for however brief a period, he tries to make use of it.

“What is it you wanted to discuss with me?” Ashe asks, smile bright and fake. “Oh! But first, would you like something to drink?”

“Just water would be fine, thank you.” While Ashe pours them drinks, Noel clears his throat. “Have you ever heard about the legendary treasure, the Witch’s Heart?”

Ashe only hesitates a moment too long before answering. “I don’t think there’s anyone in this country that hasn’t! A treasure rumored to grant any wish: exciting, isn’t it?”

“It’s supposedly in this mansion…” Noel sips his water thoughtfully. “If the name is meant to be literal, then do you suppose it’s the jewel that came from Dorothy’s demon pact?”

“I’ve only heard a little about those gems myself. You’re surprisingly knowledgeable about witches!” Ashe replies. “A fellow witch researcher, perhaps?”

Noel rubs the back of his neck. “No, not really, I just have a lot of free time and a few interests…” All the time in the world, and an interest in seeing Claire leave this mansion alive. “It’d be disappointing if it really was that jewel, though.”

Ashe tilts his head, exaggerated confusion on his features. “What do you mean? Those are supposedly powerful, aren’t they?”

“Very powerful,” Noel agrees, “but just coming from a demon means it won’t really grant ‘any’ wish. Demons only like to grant negative wishes, I heard. So they’d destroy a city, but not make crops grow healthy, or they’d kill a person but never bring someone back to life.”

Ashe almost suppresses his flinch. If Noel wasn’t specifically looking for it after remembering Ashe’s wish, he wouldn’t notice any unusual reaction at those last words.

“That would be depressing,” he says, looking into his cup instead of at Noel. “Even the legendary wish-granting treasure has its limits!”

“Everything does. Well, that’s just what I’ve heard,” Noel replies. “It’s possible that the Witch’s Heart doesn’t even exist. Maybe we’d all be better off trying to achieve our wishes on our own instead of chasing after legends.”

“You may be right!” Ashe laughs, before his smile turns into a pensive expression that almost looks natural. “Buut, I feel sorry for the seekers of the treasure whose wishes can’t be achieved with just hard work.”

“For those people…” Noel has to pretend to think for a few seconds. “Isn’t there supposed to be a jewel that grants wishes in Tibet?”

Later that night, a book on how to learn Standard Tibetan goes missing from Sirius’ room. Sirius is mystified about why someone would break into his room while he was asleep for something as mundane as that, but grudgingly agrees with Noel’s comment of ‘at least it wasn’t anything worse’.

**Author's Note:**

> [Are you really going to take a jewel from the Buddha, Ashe?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cintamani)


End file.
